Indicator for scales.



PATENTED'OGT. 2, 1906.

Non 832,379.

" W. P. HARRIS.

INDICATOR FOR SCALES. APPLIUATIQJN FILED MAY 16, 1906.-

INVElTOR.

WITNESSES 'WILLIAM F. HARRIS. or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

molcArdFi FOR SCALES.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906.

I Application filed May16,1906. serial No.317,089.

will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, refer? ence bei'n had to the accompanying drawings, whic form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to indicators of scales.

It has for its object improved meansof locating on the graduated and numbered dial or chart of scales the value to be read therefrom.

I In what areknown as. com utin -scales whether the chart be a fixed'dial over which .a hand oscillates br a rotating cylinder upon whicha particular part is brought to an indicating-point or a plate in front of which a beam swings or a'plate which swings with the beam in front of an index, the surface is di- F value is assigned, and the location of this point with respect to some other parts of the scale indicates t6 the user the value that he is to take as the result of the operatlon. Generally the operation consists in placing an article to be weighed upon the pan of the scale. This causes one part of the device to .inove over another part and come to rest at a place which will enable the operatortfi read both the weight of the article and its value, (the latter being determined by multiplying the weight by the price of a unit.)

In order that the chart may be useful for a large range of values, it is generally made large and divided into sections by lines, each section being graduated to determine the value at a price proper to that section; but as very frequently happens the amount to be weighed is not an exact multi le of the unit, but has a fractional part and t e index comes to rest between points on the chart that have their values specifically determined, and the user is compelled to estimate the amount which he is to announce as the exact value of the article weighed. Because he is thus I called upon to estimate it is desirable that the index be see arranged with res ect to the chart upon which the values are s own that itscxact location between marked oints may be estimated with accuracy, an 1t 1s also desirable that the index itself obstruct the view 11 on the chart to the least possible degree, an the object of this invention is to produce an index which affords the least possible obstruction to a clear view of the chart and which at the same time-canlbe see-11 in its location upon the chart with the greatest certainty. I

- One means of embodyihg the invention is shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the chart of-a scale having an oscillating index. F 2is an enlarged view of a portion of the chart and of the index-finger Fig. 3 is a front view of the in dex-finger. Fig, 4 is a rear viiew of the index-finger. I

The chart selected to illustrate the invention is divided into sections by' curved lines 1, curved around a center 2, upon which. the

into sections, each one of which is considered as a price- 51s, for example, in Fig. 2, which represents the outer end of the index-finger and a portion of the chart under it. Ap'ortion of the section considered as indicating weights is shown showing 4, 5, and

6, indicating pounds, and with int-crime diate gradu'ations showing the )laccs at which the index will come to rest if the article wei' hs an exact number of ouncesand is more t an four pounds and less than six pounds.

With this invention the exact point to be selected is at one side of and a little distance away from the main part of theindex flngcr 3, and the exact line along which th his are to be selected is indicated by a .[h Wad 5, stretched from the overhanging pm i c of the index-finger 3 to a projecting portion 7 between the center and the inner line of iii-- dicatingres.

will stand the strain required to keep it strai ht may be employed. The end is socure to the overhang 6 and passes through a small hole 9, that locates the end accurately. The inner end is passed through a small hole 16 in the lug, 10, which holds it accurately, and is then secured to the end of a spring 11, p

which holds the thread taut, returns it to its straight condition, if it has been bent or deflected in any way, and keepsgit straight 'under all circumstances. of applying a thin thread-line indicator in connection with the usual index, which may be held at some little distance from the main. partof the larger and coarse index and may enable the user to see the graduations at both sides of this thin index in order that he may estimate values accurately, may be applied to the oscillating index shown in the drawings or to any form of indicator in which an index is used to locate upon a plate or surface the value to be taken therefrom.

, hat I claim is i. In combination with the index of a scale, a pivoted indicator-arm adapted to ,move thereover, said arm being provided with laterally-projecting portions, a threadlike indicator drawn between said portions,

one of said portions constituting a shoulder pierced with a guide-hole through which said indicator passes, and means attached to the arm. and to that end of said indicator nearest to said shoulder for holding the indicator in a condition of tension, substantially as described. I

2. In combination with a graduated index having projecting portions near each end, an

indicator-filament stretched between said portions, one end being secured to its support-- ing part and the other end passing through The same principle a guide-hole in one of the projecting portions hole through which said thread passes, and a spiral spring attached to said body portion and to that end of the thread adjacent to said shoulder, whereby the thread is under constant tension but free to move le thwise of its own axis, substantially as descri ed.

4. In combination with -apivoted indexfinger having laterally-projecting portions at each end, one of said portions being a snoulder pierced with a guide-hole whose axis is parallel to that of the finger, a filament at tached to the projection at one end of said finger and-extending therefrom through said guide-hole, and a spiral spring anchored to the body portion of the finger below the guide-hole and attached to the adjacent end of the filament, whereby the filament is constantly held under tension, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

4 WILLIAM F. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. BURTON, NIAYYE. KOTT. 

